Lid-opener.



UNITE @TATS PATENT FFIIE.

GEORGE J?. SIVII'II-I, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

LID-OPENER.

Application filed February 12, 1915.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. SMITH, citizen of the United States residing at East St. Louis, in the county of St. Clair and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lid- Openei's, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved box construction and more particularly to a lid opener forming a part thereof.

It is the object of the invention to provide an improved lid raiser which is especially adapted for exerting an upward force upon the flange of the lid to raise it. 1With this end in view, the device is constructed in conformity with the standard type of box, as will hereinafter be more particularly set forth in the description and specifically pointed out in the claims.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lid raiserthat may be applied to any of the well known forms of circular metallic boxes without requiring any change or alteration in the construction of the box or its cover.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an edge view of an ordinary tin box equipped with my improved lid raiser or opener;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, the top of the box being in elevation;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the lid raiser or opener detached;

Fig. t is a view similar to Fig; 1 illustrating a modilied form of the raiser;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the device as illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an edge view of the raiser shown in Fig. t;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a further modification;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating the last mentioned modification; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6, the last mentioned modified raiser being shown;

Fig. 10 is a detail view in section.

Before proceeding with the description of the drawings I desire to call particular attention to the fact that while I have ,evolved my nventn .with .Special ret Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented July 247i, i911?.

Serial No. 7,818.

erence toits use in connection with tin boxes (such as contains shoe paste or the like) the same may be readily utilized, and in a like capacity with metallic boxes generally, and in fact, with ease and facility, inr connection with wood boxes or other boxes constructed of a rigid or nonyielding material.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, l designates the box or container and 2 the lid therefor. The box or container is provided with an annular bead or offset as indicated at 3 against which the flange of the lid 2 abuts in the assembled relation of the box parts. The bead or shoulder 3 is flattened or depressed as indicated at l to provide a smooth attaching surface for the opener designated as au entirety by the numeral The opener, in its preferred embodiment, is constructed. of a single strip of metal cut and bent to provide parallel fiuger engaging strips 6 and guide flanges 7, one strip and one flange being formed upon each of the respective longitudinal edges of the raiser 5. An extension 8 is formed upon the strip 5, said extension being bent inwardly to underlap (as will hereinafter appear) the flange of the box lid 2 upon oscillation of the raiser as a whole. The raiser 5 is pivotally fastened as indicated at 9 to the Vbox or receptacle 1, preferably in horizontal alinement with the bead or shoulder 3 and approximately equi-distant the terminals of the flat attaching surface 4. As indicated to advantage in Fig. 3, extension 8 is provided with a biting edge 10 adapted to work against the outside surface of the box 1, the free end of the extension 8 being in firm frictional engagement with the box whereby to direct the sharpened edge l0 thereof beneath the flange of the lid to exert upward pressure on the lid when the finger engaging strips 6 are forced downwardly or toward the base or bottom of the box. The guide flanges, or rather the upper flange, will engage the bottom edge of the lid flange to cause said lid to glide over the inclined face of the flange and to enter the coneaved portion of the extension 8. Thus, were it not for the provision of the flange, an edge would be present on the lever which might engage beneath the edge of the cover and thereby prevent further movement of the lever to bring the extension thereof into engagement with the cover.

In Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive I have shown les lid raiser provided with an'extension 8 at each end, said extension being provided with biting edge terminals l0 in much the same manner as the extension 8 before mentioned in describing my improved orV preferred forni of device. The raiser 5 in this modilied form is centrally pivoted as indicated at 9 and, by forming the extension 8 at each end, it is evident that the box lid 2 may be raised or elevated entirely irrespective of the direction in which the raiser is turned or rotated.

In Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive I have shown a further modified form of raiser, the raiser 5 being pivoted as at 9, and provided with an f extension 8, a biting edge terminal 10 and a finger engaging strip or portion 6, said nger engaging portion being adapted to be depressed whereby to force the biting edge terminal of the iiange or extension beneath the lid flange to exert an upward pressure thereon when the lid as a whole is turned.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be noted that the opener or raiser may be used in connection with a standard tin box without requiring a modification in the construction of the box; that no laterally projecting flange is in evidence upon the box lid to provide an abutting surface for the raiser 5; and that by providing biting edge terminals on the extension 8, the said extension is directed beneath the lid whereby to positively exert upward pressure thereon the moment the raiser as a whole is turned.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is

the most eicient and practical; yet realizing that theV conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacricing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device for detaching the cover of a box, comprising a lever formed of a strip of metal pivoted to the box, and having one end bent at substantially right angles and `directed toward the box, with the upper edge of said bent portion concaved to receive the edge of the cover, whereby when the lever is turned the cover may be raised.

2. A device for detaching thejcover or" a box comprising a lever formed of a strip of bent toward the box, with the upper edge of said bent portion concaved to form a sharpened corner to engage between the lid flange and the box whereby the cover may be raised "by rotating the lever, and an upwardly extending guide-flange formed upon the up- ,bent portion during movement of the lever to raise the cover.

In testimony' whereof I affix my signature `in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE P; sMiTH. Witnesses: Y

LEE T. ALDRIGH, FRANK Gr. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

` Washington, D. C.

metal pivoted to the box, and having one end 

